Protective hat



April 1950 F. A. HORNSBY, JR 2,504,979

PROTECTIVE HAT Filed June 25, 1947 LLYE: Imnentor 4 attorneys.

Patented Apr. 25, 1950 S PATENT OFFICE PROTECTIVE HAT Fred A. Hornsby, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Mine Safety Appliances Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 25, 1947, Serial No. 756,962

6 Claims.

This invention relates to protective hats, and more particularly to the suspensions or cradles therein;

It is common practice to support an adjustable headband inside of the rigid crown of a protective hat by means of a lace connected to the band and extending through openings around the base of the crown. It is also common practice to form a cradle in the crown by attaching the lower ends of a number of straps either to the headband or to the'lower part of the crown, and then connecting the upper ends of the straps together in the upper part of the crown but spaced from its top. Such a cradle extends across the topof the head of the wearer and limits the distance that the hat can be forced down over the head. In many cases, the cradle may press against the head only when something strikes against the top of the hat.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a protective hat in which a novel cradle of simple and inexpensive design is formed, in which the cradle is readily adjustable, and in which one continuous flexible element serves the duel purpose of connecting the headband to the crown and of forming the cradle.

In accordance with this invention a rigid crown of a protective hat or the like is prov ded around its base with a plurality of perforat ons, and a headband is loosely disposed in the crown beside them. A lace extends in and out through the perforations all around the crown to form inside of it a series of large loops alternating with small loops. The small loops are connected to the headband to support it in the crown, the connections preferably being sl dable. The large loops ext nd upward and are connected above the headband to form a cradle which extends across the top of the head of the wearer to space it from the top of the crown. Preferably, the large loops are connected by being in erlaced with one another so that anet-like cradle is formed." Consequently, a single lace not only holds the headband in place, but also forms the cradle, thereby eliminating separate cradle straps.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a protective hat with a portion of the crown broken away to show the cradle and headband in elevation; and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the hat.

Referring to the drawings, a protective hat of conventional shape has a high dome-shape crown I the bottom of which is surrounded by a brim 2 integral therewith. The crown and brim are rigid, being formed from metal or from a suitable fabric impregnated with a plastic and molded into shape as is well-known in this art. In the lower part of the crown there is a headband 3 which is spaced from the crown. The band may be formed from a length of fabric or leather, and preferably has its ends spaced apart and provided with eyelets 4 through which a tie 5 is laced so that the size of the band can be varied to adjust it to fit heads of different sizes. Of course, the size of the band can be adjusted in other ways.

Around the central portion of the headband the.

base of the crown is provided with groups of circumferentially spaced perforations T. Preferably, as shown in Fig. 2, there are four perforations in each group, and four equally spaced groups, one at each side and one at each end of the crown. In accordance with this invention. a long lace extends in and out through these perforations all around the crown and has its ends tied together. The lace extends a short distance along the outside of the crown in two places 8 between the inner and outer perforations of each group, but it forms a small loop 9 extending into the crown between the two inner perforations. Between each two adjacent groups of perforations, the lace forms a large loop Ill extending up into the crown for a purpose about to be described. The small loops are used for connecting the headband to the crown, and for this purpose they extend slidably through retaining loops formed by short vertical straps ll attached to the outside of the headband above and below its central portion. W th this construction, the headband is suspended in the crown spaced from its side wall so that the r gid crown will not bear against the head of the wearer.

It is a feature of this invention. that the same lace which holds the headband in place also forms the crad e that extends across the top of the head. Accordingly, the large loops It extends up between the headband and the crown and then inward toward the center of the crown where they are interlaced to form a net-like cradle spaced from the top of the crown. The interlacing may consist merely of looping the opposite sides of each large loop through the adjoining sides of the two adjoining large loops, like a net. The spacing between the cradle and the top of the crown is determined by the eifective length of the lace, which in turn is controlled by the tied ends of the lace.

This manner of forming a cradle is much cheaper and simpler than using straps which must be attached separately to the headband or to the crown. It also has the advantage that if the headband is adjusted to a smaller size, the small loops 9 will be pulled farther into the crown and that will shorten the long loops so that the cradle will not extend so far up into the crown. This is a desirable feature for the small head that the smaller headband will fit.

According to the provisions of the patent stat- 'utes, I have explained the principle and construction of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope, ot. the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A protective hat comprising" a-"rigid' crown provided around its base with a plurality-of-:circumferentially spaced perforations, a headband loosely disposed in the crown,-and a lace extending in'and out through saidxperforationsto form inside the crown a series of, loops theportions of the lace that form alternateloops in said series being-extended intothe crown farther than the laceportionsthat form: the, rest 'otthe loops in said ;series, where by large loops alternate with small-loopspthe ends of the lace. being tied together thesmall loops being connected to the headband to-support itin the crown, and said 7 large loops :being interlaced above the headband to for-m a net-like cradle'adapted to-extend across the top'of the head of the wearer.

2. A protectivehat comprising a rigid crown providedaround its base with a pluraiityof widely spaced groups ofclosely spaced perforations,

an--adjustable headband:loosely disposed in the crown, and a lace-extending in-and outthrough said perforations to-form'inside the crown a seriesof loops, the portions of-the-lace that form alternate loopsin said series being extended into the crown farther than the lace portions that :form the rest of-the loops in -said series, whereby large loops alternate with small loops, the-small loops -being-slidably connected *to the headband 'to' support it in the scrowmand -said large =loops being interlaced above the headband-to form a net likecradle adapted-toextendacross the top a of thehead'o'f the wearer.

3;" A protective hat comprising a, rigid crown,

that form alternate loops in said seriesbein extended lHtOTthB-CI'OWD I841171181 than the lace portions that ,form theaesit of the'loopsin said series, whereby large loopsalternate 'with smallqloops, --and mealns conriecting thesmall; loopstothe out- -'side of the headband tosupportit in: the crown,

tions to form inside the crown a series of loops, alternate loops in said series being formed from portions of the lace extending into the crown r farther than' thelace portions that form the rest 10f thelloops insaid series, whereby large loops alternate withsmall loops, and retaining loops 'fproiecting h'omthe outside of the headband beside said small loops, said small loops extending through said retaining loops, and said large loops being interlaced above 'theheadband to form a net-likecradle spaced from thetop' of the crown.

5. A protective hat comprising a rigid crown provided around its basewith a plurality of perforations divided into groups of ,four perforations each; at headband loosely disposed in the crown, and i a lace extending. in andaoutf through said perforations to form. aaseries of. loops inside the crown, there being a smallloop atjthe center of each of said groups.of. .perforations, .and means connecting the small loops to the headband to support it in the crown there-beinglarge loops between said-groupsof pe'rforationaand the large loops being interlacedabovethe headband to 'form a, net-like cradle in the upper part of the crown.

6; A: protective-hat comprising a rigid crown provided around-its base'with aplurality of perforations, a headband loosely disposed in the crown, and a-lace extendin :in andout through said" perforations to form inside 7 the crown a series ofloops, the portions of the lace that form alternate loops in said-series being extended into the crown farther. than theelace-portions that form the. rest of the loops in saidseries, whereby large loops alternate withsmaliloops,- the small loops being connected to the-headband to support it in thecrown, and-said largerloops being connected -above -the-:- headband to forma cradle adapted to extend. across-the top-of the head of the wearer.

I FRED A.;':HORNSBY, :JR.

1 REFERENCES "CITED "Iheifollowing references are of record. inthe file of-this patent:

' STATES PATENTS Number Name Date "IL-835,883 F Lewis Dec.' 8; 1931 1,935,204 Dyrn -iNov. 14; 1933 1 2,420,937 Dauster May 20, I947 

